Properly diagnosing and treating your headaches is life changing!

Do you have headaches? Do they affect your energy and daily life?
Did you know that 85% of headaches are related to clenching and/or grinding of the teeth? This is even true for those that have been diagnosed with migraine, cluster or stress-related headaches.

When you clench or grind their teeth, you’re loading up to 250 lb. of pressure on your system-Yikes! Now think about the stress on the muscles that allow you to clench your teeth, they are overactive, get sore causing a lactic acid response and spasm.  All you know is that you have a vexing headache and you want relief!

If you suffer from headaches, come in an eval, Dr Bloom can diagnose the triggers quickly. If your headaches are muscle related (the majority are) he can treat with one our custom occlusal guards (an appliance worn while sleeping). The occlusal guard will shut off the muscles from spasm triggered by clenching and grinding. He can’t prevent the behavior but he can stop your headaches!

Am I a bruxer?
Dr. Bloom can tell quickly by looking at your facial muscles (think of it like body building), stress a muscle and it builds, and by wear patterns on the teeth. These are developments he looks for in all initial exams in addition to the secondary signs such as TMJ pain, cracked or sore teeth and gum recession.

If this is you, there are several things we can do to get you comfortable. If you brux in your sleep we’ll make you a custom designed bite splint/mandibular orthotic. This way, if you brux you won’t hyper-activate the muscles, your muscles will stay quiet as you sleep. If you brux due to an imbalance in your bite he will correct the imbalance by equilibrating (think of it as bringing your bite back into harmony). Life is busy enough, don’t let headaches ruin the fun…properly diagnosing and treating your headaches is life changing!

Proof that headaches are due to muscle involvement – the FDA recently approved Botox Cosmetic (the injectable used to smooth wrinkles in the upper face) to treat headaches because it relaxes the muscles in the temporal region.

Dr Bloom’s clinical training specific to the diagnosis and treatment of headache pain.

• Over 35 years of extensive training in the muscle dynamics of occlusion
• Over 35 years training in advanced restorative methods in dentistry including TMJ dysfunction and treatment through occlusal therapy.
• Extensive hands-on training in making custom-made mandibular orthotics (occlusal guards.)
• 35 years successfully treating patients with headache pain even chronic migraines.